In 1980. in former Yugoslavia in a typical Communist Party control burlesque I was made to resign as editor of STUDENT – University of Belgrade weekly magazine that was recognized world-wide at the time for being outspoken about Yugoslav Communist Party tight control of culture, art, media and life in general. Soon after I started Independent Journalist Workshop (Samostalna Novinarska Radionica) in Yugoslav capital Belgrade’s world known SKC- a multimedia cultural outlet – featuring “live papers” programs with live interviews, live essays, live photography and live political cartoons performances.
Last “live paper issue” on April 6. 1981. created spontaneous large public support on the main Knez Mihailova boulevard in Belgrade, and my Independent Journalist Workshop (Samostalna Novinarska Radionica) was banned with major intervention from and by Serbian Communist Party Central Committee.
Soon after I went to Nicaragua to report from Sandinista’s revolution reality. In Nicaragua I became a disappointed witness of Sandinista’s “revolutionary management” of what dictator Somoza left of that poor country. All in all “history teaches nothing” was my sad discovery and realization there.
My Centro-American photo-journalistic works from Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were distributed by France Press International to 85 countries worldwide.
Upon return to Yugoslavia I did freelance work for major weekly magazines (Zum-Reporter and Start) and daily paper Politika among others.
My first documentary book “Film i Idoli na Obali Zemlje” about two most popular new-wave bands of Yugoslavia on a summer Adriatic coast tour was announced and previewed in Yugoslav media at the time in a very big way, but finally was not published due to censorship again. From this perspective even not directly talking about it my book actually was full of feelings that something tragic is going to happen in the near future of Yugoslavia; which fell apart a decade later in three horrible civil wars and severe NATO bombardment for 79 days with depleted uranium bombs.
I left for USA in Fall of 1982. totally outraged that my book was banned and with clear experience that revolution and change can happen only inside of self. Life in exile opened ancestry and heritage drive in my creative process. My work become focused on photography and graphic design and less on writing, and I was inspired by different spiritual traditions, planet conservation, future of expression in new media technologies and cultivation of open-minded even mind.
My second book “Silicon Dharma” was published by Mladost, Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1991. Same publishing house which did not publish my first book… and this second book of mine was actually the last title from that big publisher prior to country’s horrible disintegration during mentioned brutal civil wars.
In commercial art in USA I was art director and graphic designer for major companies and publications primarily in San Francisco Bay Area like PC World, Macworld magazine, Cutter Biological and Coherent Medical.
In fine art I was awarded with Award of Excellence from state of California (“Talk What You Think”- polaroid collage) and “Eagle” (color photograph/assemblage) was exhibited in selection of San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art director late Mr. Henry J. Hopkins. “Eagle” was also purchased with honor by Humboldt State University of California.
I had eleven one man shows and more than hundred group exhibits and shows of photography, digital imaging and slide and video projections accompanied by readings and/or live music and dance.
My third book “Pogodak u Prazno” was published by Jugoistok, Belgrade, Serbia in 2003.
I am also the author of numerous photo-journalistic feature articles from Europe, USA and Asia; and made interviews with the Dalai Lama of Tibet, Allen Ginsberg , Abbie Hoffman, Truman Capote and Lourie Anderson among others.
With David Albahari one of most distinguished writers from Eastern Europe I collaborated on anthology of short stories “Poslasticarske price” (Candystore Stories) published by Arhipelag, Belgrade, Serbia in 2008.
“TIBETAN TRINITY: life death time” is my first documentary film made of material I filmed from one end of Himalaya in Sikkim to the other end of Himalaya in Ladakh. Film was shown in USA from NYC to San Francisco, in Austria, Croatia, Serbia and in Greece, and distributed by Snow Lion Publications.
With my film and related photographs I was part of five annual Sand Mandala for World Peace programs at University of Arizona, on Tuscon Campus; with different Lamas who are world wide known masters and authors of traditional Tibetan sacred sand painting.
I organized and hosted a historic first time visit of three Tibetan Lamas who made a Mandala For World Peace in Belgrade, Serbia in June 2014. During that special occasion I made my second documentary film “BEOGRADSKA MANDALA” (Belgrade mandala) as a story about this historic event of first Lamas and Tibetan mandala ever made in that region.
JA SAM BUDEN: TRIP OF A LIFETIME is my first book written and published in English only, in 2017. Third edition of this book is currently available, and will be followed by a documentary film with same title by Spring of 2020.
MOUNTING A TIGER is my book trilogy with part one LIBERATION FROM AMERIKA, and part two THE PILGRIMAGE available now to order on this site under BOOKS; and MOUNTING A TIGER part three ANTIBODY coming to you by or before International Book Fair in Tucson, Arizona in Spring of 2021.